moving average

American

noun

Statistics.

one of a succession of averages of data from a time series, where each average is calculated by successively shifting the interval by the same period of time.

moving average British

noun

statistics (of a sequence of values) a derived sequence of the averages of successive subsequences of a given number of members, often used in time series to even out short-term fluctuations and make a trend clearer

the 3-term moving average of 4, 6, 8, 7, 9, 8 is 6, 7, 8

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of moving average

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A decisive break below $875 would confirm the setup and could open the door to a roughly 100-point decline, targeting the rising 200-day simple moving average.

From Barron's

Momentum is also deteriorating, and support at the 21-day exponential moving average has faded, a line that had provided consistent support since the April lows.

From Barron's

The ETF is now finding support at its rising 50-day simple moving average for the first time since breaking above the double-bottom pivot at $109.02, often an ideal entry point.

From Barron's

Microsoft, down 28% from its 52-week high, is testing its 200-week moving average, with a potential 20% gain to $480.

From Barron's

Yes, a bearish death cross was recorded in January, when the 50-day simple moving average crossed below the 200-day simple moving average.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023